Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-09
INIIERlTING A WIFE.

fcring him a slender vbitc hand
He took the hand and bending over. lightly
touched her forehead with his lips
She raised her head to address hin, with a
forced effort, and he was gone.
"The young tool thinks be can defy nc "
hlid Mr.. John Duncan, angrilv. hut with
lovo Gnd pity rising to his kindly gray eyes
as he bent them upon Helen.
Tho latter was the rich old mans adopted
daughter and in her seemed conferred all his
happiness. She was hi: idol and ho had
glanrcl 10 make her his hcircss, or that she
should share all 10 had OF this worlds goods
with Frank Duncan, his nephew. Bat this
Batter contingency was to be that these Young
People should have his fortune together only
:ls man and wife.
Hol.a dcricy had been an orphan ever
since sA7 could remember. She had endcarrd
herself 10 old MIR. Duncan by her sweet, un-
selfish life and her devotion to him as her
hnofac10r.
She ard Frank had been thrown much to
s;cther, us u matter Of course, and old Mr.
Duncan, rs he looked at his favorite ncpheN's
handsome, animated face and then at Eelcn's
Svut oval picture, framed tv her mass Of
bright hair, when tho two were together.
declared 70 himself that they were made for
b
Of heaven that thcy should have h<cn thrown
accidentally into each others way.
But be had just now serious nlisc!yincs
whether or not heaven ever had anything 10 do
with such young scapcgrace as his nonhe,y.
ho had just received terrible shock and
he was stirred by anger. disappointment and
pity for his fair Helen.
Thon, too, he was pAced in 50 delicate n
position that he hardly knew what TO saw to
her
lie had no assurance that Franz had ever
Spoken word Of love 30 this girl
But be can't defy mo with impunitv,"
Erowlod the iratc uncle ~ Helen had not -.
oiled TO his first remark about the young gen
'icEnan in question. ~ win not leave him a
cent | win make now viii. lie shall h, a
iegGar for all he'll got from me- concluded
UOhn Duncan, stamping his foot fcrcely
ION, father" said Holon aproalirclv.
"What has h. done 10 anger you So.'
"L'one" shouted the old man. fairiy exa.-
ye-atea by this question, forgetting at the
moment that Helen did not share his rcyvs.
and therefore indignant that sho should not
Join With him in con5emning tho young
slaL's koinouS crime Done he repeated
in rising tones of freshly kindlcd anger.
What hasn't he donet Upset all my plan.
Destroyed all my happiness Tells me hos
IN love with that French girl Elise Courtoi.,
SD that his happiness, his worry life depends
eIon his marrying her. And he has the
eth on!ory to ask my approval of such u
ridiculous step
The Old rnan ynuGc1! only at sight of Helen,
VT" nod s7,pk, pal9 and trembling upon a
sofa Hex delicate fingers wcro intcrlaoel
and thc"c w;is e look Of such unutterahlc
rain in nor face that even Mr.. Duncan' an
ger fed before it,
Then with u sudden thought his anger ryre
again and ~ demanded:
Has the villain deceived you, Helena Toll
me TIE truth. BY heaven, if he has Tn"--
ooh, no, no; he has never spoken to mo Of
---of-
There, there, my dear, I only wished 10
know; meant it all for your good - said Mr.
Duncan, tandcrly.
Helen fed to her chamber TO think and t.
JecuveT, if possible. from the sudden blow she
had received.
Tncno had been no spoken words Of love b.-
tween them for tho three years that Frank
had been n constant visitor to his unclo's.
and yet she had thought-she had believed
yes, she had hoped, that the first love Of her
pure young heart had found IA safc resting
II,
although MS yet not proclaimed for some
good and sufficient reason ON his part.
But it was oil over now. Her eyes worr
opened TO the Notifying truth. She cried
for puro shame at first, then for disappoint-
nent. Her face was ell ahamc as she
thought OF the possibility OF the knowledge
on the part of others Of her misplaced love
Then her checks and brow became deadly
rold us she rcalized that her young hopes
were oil withered and dead.
Whom Mr.. John Duncan saw that the light
Lad gone out from Helen's eyes his anger
toward his nephew knew no bounds. He
knew that Frank had gone from his presence
with fixed determination TO win the girl,
Elise Courtoia, ii possible, in spite Of al! oy-
position.
And he knew what he could not speak Ct
to I.clon, that she had loved his hcadstrong
and misguided nephew.
Tho old MN was closeted with his lawyer
Soon after this occurrence for several hours
one day, and tho result of the conference VIVA
"a Lew will
Thrco ycarj AFRO not much! A nero spot
on the ages. a bagatelle OF weeks and
months friticred away in frivolity and
tri1ine
Three year, arc nm sge \ heavy leaden
period stamped upon life into which are
crowded 50 much of mental pain and anguish
that tho rest of that life ought TO DO sun
shino and flowers to compensate for their
misery,
These three years following the departure
OF Frank Duncan in disgrace from his uncle's
home had been TO Helen Morley joylesss years
OF silent suffering. unshared by sympathetic
heart, unsPoien to plying ear Shs had
sufferol in silence, and had tried 10 walk her
allotted path with outward compnsure. And
old John Duncan, though no had been moro
tender and solicitous of her welfare than over,
saw that he could do but little to tighten her
burden of sorrow.
But John Duncan had gone row. There
was no longer even his loving care To shield
Helen from her own misery.
IL had been but q few weeks since the old
man had blessed Helen with his dying breath
and then passed away. Sho was solo posssas-
sor Of his wealth. Frank Duncan had been
summoned, but was somewhere abroad, pur-
suinS his iqnis fatuus in tho shape of fortune